Background
Rabbi Moshe Chaim Ephraim was one of two sons of Udl, the beloved daughter of Rabbi Israel "Baal Shem Tov".
Rabbi Moshe Chaim Ephraim was one of two sons of Udl, the beloved daughter of Rabbi Israel "Baal Shem Tov".
He was best known as the Baal Shem Tov"s grandson and for the work Degel Machaneh Ephraim, first published in Korets, 1810. After the Baal Shem Tov"s death in 1760, he studied under R. Dov Ber the Maggid of Mezerich and under R. Yaakov Yosef of Polonoye. Afterwards, he settled in Sudilkov (near Shepetivka) in 1780 where he served as Maggid until 1785.
In 1785, he returned to Medzhybizh and served as rebbe there until 1800 when he died.
Moshe Chaim was quiet, studious and reflective who lived his life in utter poverty. lieutenant also contains a recording of his dreams from 1780 to 1786.
The work is considered a primary source in the understanding of the ideology of the Baal Shem Tov.